


Frog Prince

by Miss_Macabre_Grey



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime)
Genre: Absolutely NO frogs hurt in the making of this story, M/M, One and a half manga spoilers but if you don’t want those, You can stop reading after the first chunk that ends with a Percent Sign
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:08:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29706591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Macabre_Grey/pseuds/Miss_Macabre_Grey
Summary: Gen used to be cute. He was the perfect image of himself. His entire being by design. Until he wasn’t.Until Senku tricks him into being a Mentalist all over again.
Relationships: Asagiri Gen/Ishigami Senkuu
Comments: 5
Kudos: 69





	Frog Prince

**Author's Note:**

> I actually sometimes add curse words to fic to bring things up to a T rating. I know it’s my own bias, but I keep writing things that really don’t warrant a T rating, by all means nothing bad happens at all, but it’s not, like, childish nor sweet and fluffy. I’ve been writing things constantly, ironically, from different fandoms between an 18yo and a 20yo and it’s always with the tone of “these are men figuring themselves out and it doesn’t have the connotations of a ‘G’ fic”
> 
> But added curse words aside, I hope you enjoy this story and a small Character-Study-Esque thing going on!

Ice made for a poor mirror, Gen realized after trying to catch his reflection. The fact that he tried to look at himself in the dark likely did nothing to help, but the moonlight illuminated the entire forest almost as much as any man made light. Senku has said a few nights ago the full moon would be out soon, and Gen had been taking some personal time at sunset to the frozen river to see if he could catch a glimpse of himself while the moon got brighter every night. The small trek from the village became almost as necessary as breathing when it came to giving Gen a chance to feel a little alive and adjust to the new stone world.

Going from being a TV personality with his face everywhere to another simple laborer in the Kingdom of Science created a huge shock for Gen. Gen had hints about how he changed, but he wanted to know. Needed to know. Gen visited a nearby riverbed shore for the fourth night in a row hoping to find a clear part of the frozen stream that could work as a decent mirror. In almost 4,000 years, Gen figured his looks changed, and not knowing how ebbed at his pride more than he wanted to admit.

He could see it. He could see the white strands on his right side peripheral. Were his eyelashes white? Were his eyebrows white? Gen shed some strands on a brush Senku made a bit ago to know some of his hair stayed black. Gen made his hair always look “off,” as a strategic misdirection for his show. That had been a choice. His choice. The strands tickling his face as white as the snow building on the ground only mocked him since he could not even tell if the strands were distributed in balance. Not that Gen’s hair mattered when another part of him changed just as distinctly. 

He could feel it. He could drag his recently calloused fingers along his left cheek and feel it. Down his eye a deep scar that turned into some kind of curve on his cheek. His scar felt like it would look smoother than the gashes across Tsukasa’s face. Besides the part that jutted out, Gen felt the scar remain in a skinny like that ran along his skin, even down his neck until Gen saw where it ended on his heart. At times Gen hovered his hand over his chest and wondered if the mark connected to the newfound feeling of resentment he found bubbling in his heart. 

Change is human. Every human took steps at a time to become better or worse every day. Gen’s changes not only came too drastically, too instantly, they had nothing to do with his choice and how he wanted to change. They existed externally, and he could not even see them. How much of him changed? More than that, Gen needed to know something about him stayed the same.

“You know, I could just build you a mirror, Mentalist,” a voice came from behind, ragged from having to make the snowy trek to the river, but somehow still so smug.

So stupidly smug. Gen hated it. The only other person in the village from the same time period as Gen, and possibly the only man in the world who could not relate to something as simple as “vanity.” Gen held in his sigh, switching his mood as best he could to get a “playful” tone to speak instead. “Ooh? As if you would be so kind, Senku-chan. Certainly you’ll make me work for it somehow.”

Senku shrugged and sat near where Gen crouched over the river. “Maybe,” Senku kept his answer vague, but the smirk hinted at something sinister. Gen wished he would leave so he could wallow without being teased or reprimanded, but as soon as Gen wished that in his heart, Senku’s eyes softened and he stared down at the same frozen water as Gen. “This is the fourth night, as far as I know, that you’ve come out here. You’ll get frostbite at this rate. It makes more sense to build you a tiny mirror than to let you lose a few toes or fingers. I mean,” Senku picked at his ear and turned his face away, “That would ten billion percent bring down your productivity.”

Gen openly slumped his shoulders and dropped any cheeriness on his face. “That’s certainly a Senku-chan way of viewing it.” Gen tucked the long lock of white hair behind his ear, and hated himself for the action. Subconsciously. A professional mentalist like him, forgetting his own body language and pulling back his hair? Being around Senku continued to dull his skills. And stupid Senku was stupidly smart and certainly caught it.

“It’s the practical way to see things,” Senku replied, blunt and serious. “Your health is worth much more than the handful of materials and time it would take to make you a mirror.” 

Gen had no response to that. In all regards, the words came out with the same air of “practicality” as anything else Senku said, and they still made Gen’s heart skip. To his horror again, Gen’s body without his permission and his hand rose to cover the sudden redness in his cheeks. Gen managed to repress his recoil from touching his scar down, at least. “You would spoil me, Senku-chan.” 

“Well, you are valuable. I’m possibly using it as an additional bribe that you stay with us. So far, it seems a little unfair of me to have only managed to make you a single cola in your partnership with The Kingdom of Science. A mirror for you would be good practice for other projects I’ve considered. Besides,” Senku paused with a pensive expression that did not suit him. A smile returned to Senku’s face that crossed sincerity with smugness as he reached over and untucked the hair behind Gen’s ear and held Gen’s cheek. “I doubt you would accept it if I tell you how you look.”

Gen thanked the cold for being an excuse for any redness in his cheek. For a brief moment, seeing the white strands come into his vision did not upset him. Gen felt Senku staring at him, and he could not meet the scrutiny of those red eyes. “Certainly not. From a super-scientist like you, if you told me how I look, I would feel like a dissected frog.” Gen lost his teasing tone, instead coming out flustered more than anything.

Senku removed his hand from Gen’s face and shook his head. “Dissecting frogs is more biology, not my specialty, so the comparison would be nothing alike. Seeing you working with us to bring everyone back, the sight of you, it’s exhilarating. If I had to say, I would simply . . . call you handsome.” Senku smiled at Gen then turned his sights back to the water. “Though, I suppose dissecting frogs can be exhilarating in it’s own right.”

“Really, Senku-chan? I’m as handsome as a frog?” Gen rolled his eyes and let out an honest laugh, however small. “And right when I started to worry you would spoil me.”

Senku kept his face neutral as he kept staring at the ice. “I am willing to spoil you, though,” Senku sighed. “If it turns out you don’t like what you see in a mirror, then I can reinvent hair dye. I can reinvent makeup. I find you beautiful, but if you don’t see that for yourself, I see no reason why science shouldn’t be used to help you.”

Senku was something worse than a mentalist; he was honest, at least when it came to science and his own feelings. “Look at me, Senku-chan,” Gen commanded before taking in a deep breath and reaching out to hold Senku’s face the same way Senku previously held his. Gen looked into Senku’s eyes close enough he could see his own silhouette against the ruby shade of his irises. Nighttime lacked the proper lighting to see Senku with clarity, but Gen still found himself being able to wander his eyes over Senku’s face in the bright moonlight. His fingers wandered, studying Senku’s face without aim until he let his thumbs touch the symmetrical scars under Senku’s eyes. 

Senku closed his eyes, a sign Gen took to mean he could trail his fingers up to feel the part of the scar that touched Senku’s forehead. The two loose locks that Senku let frame his face grazed Gen’s wrist, but he just kept his hands roaming thoughtlessly. “What is it, Mentalist?” Senku asked, immediately pulling Gen’s attention to the shape of his lips and the lower hum of his voice. “I feel like a dissected frog.” 

“Oh.” Gen pulled his hand away. “Frogs don’t interest me nearly as much as you, Senku-chan.”

Senku opened his eyes again, half-lidded and not aimed at Gen. “But you’re most interested in yourself, right?” No bite, no malice, no judgment. Senku spoke the words as a way to draw an invisible line between them about how much to expect from Gen. Senku rarely asked a rhetorical question; he wanted Gen to answer any which way Gen saw fit, be it the truth or a lie, and Senku would figure it out from there.

Gen bit his lip, an action he hated not only because he hated showing his body language, but also because he knew it would make his already chapped lips even more chapped in the cold night air. Even still, Gen knew his honest answer, and, like how it always was with Senku, he felt lost about how to answer honestly. Or how to lie, to be more accurate, when all he wanted was to tell Senku how he felt but without any of the experience of doing so.

“You know what the most important part of being a mentalist is?”

Senku smirked but his eyes stayed a little too soft for his face to seem hauty. “Tricks and gimmicks.”

“But of course,” Gen agreed before continuing, “And one hell of a balancing act between truth and lies. If I can do my job at my best, I will have never uttered one falsehood. Omitting is almost always best. There’s only one absolute truth, and ‘ten billion’ ways to lie, Senku-chan, so I have to find when ten billion is equal to one. The truth, unfortunately, is the most important part of any of my deceit.

“That’s why . . . I have always been so careful about how I present myself. Did you know conventionally attractive people are seen as more trustworthy? Or more capable? More honest? I had to always be at my peak. I had to be beautiful, but not just that, I had to be unique enough to captivate. More balancing between being able to get the audience’s attention, but conventional enough that once I have it, they’ll believe anything I say. I was truly dishonest to my core about who I really was. I put on nothing but an act for my job that I made into my entire being. I was always just a,” Gen waves around his hand as he searched for the right word, “fabrication. Not a total lie. But with a carefully tailored persona I kept up 24/7. I was - ”

“‘Was.’”

“Huh?”

“You said ‘was.’” Senku repeated himself. “You think that’s in the past, Mentalist? Then who are you now?”

Gen smiled but his chest tightened. Senku often talked of the most complicated things in the world, but dissected and simplified Gen’s words without effort or care. “I’m Gen. I don’t think I’m the most shallow man in the world, not really, not anymore, but . . . I wish I were, Senku-chan. I wish I cared more about myself than anyone else. But all this,” Gen gestures to his face, “makes it different. My look, my persona, it was all centered around an exact image, and I don’t _fit_ that image anymore. I can’t do my _job_ anymore. If I can’t do my _job_ anymore, I can’t _help_ The Kingdom of Science. I can’t . . .”

“Well, yeah, you do literally look two-faced. You leave a ten billion percent more sleazy first impression than you probably did back in the past.”

Gen clenched his fist and huffed; he seriously hated Senku and his bluntness. Gen should not have bothered with his little monologue. Senku clearly could not read the mood.

“You must not be used to being genuine yet. It’s crazy ironic, right? When you look the most sleazy is when you seem like you give a damn about others. And, trust me, I know that’s hard, Mentalist. It’s hard to constantly be thinking about others. Day in and day out, we work to make the future a little better for everyone. All the while you’re caring about others, you also care what they think of you. You try and play off any praise or talk of compassion because you’re scared to get hopes too high and let people down. You would rather people think you’re selfish because you want them to not rely on you. It’s . . . way harder than astrophysics.”

Gen sat in a stunned silence as he absorbed Senku’s words. They showed it entirely different ways, but Senku and Gen really did have the same selfish vanity. Gen hates being wrong about someone, but if he had to be wrong about someone, at least it was Senku, who always got under Gen’s skin anyway. “Yeah, it’s . . . pretty difficult to adjust. But don’t put words in my mouth just because you’re projecting, Senku-chan! There’s no proof I care about anyone else. For all you know, maybe I don’t care about anything, including me.”

Senku scrunched his face, not amused by the deflection at all. “Gen,” the sound of his name, not a nickname or title or last name, twisted Gen’s stomach. With only that one syllable, Gen felt like Senku somehow won an argument Gen did not notice having.

“Fine,” Gen mumbled under his breath, “I care. And don’t get me wrong, you definitely _are_ projecting on me a bit, but . . . Yes, I care. Whatever. I care about all of you almost as much as myself. Not just in a ‘I need them to live’ way, but in a ‘it’s nice to show Suika flower tricks.’ Or in a ‘talking to Ruri is always a very peaceful story exchange.’ Sometimes it’s in a ‘these people like me even though I’m an outsider, and I want to keep them safe like they would keep me safe.’ And I hate that. It’s errible-tay to have all this new pressure on me, and I can’t even be close to as good at my job without my old appearance. This new face of mine makes me feel inherently like I must still be that same crooked, dirty scumbag.”

“Mentalist, we . . . I don’t mean to put pressure on you. You see everything you lost. I’ve always seen you as all of your gains. In this Stone World, you seemed perfectly competent at every task I gave you that I now see you as entirely invaluable. I didn’t know I needed a right-hand man, let alone such an asshole of one, until you came along and made life so much better. You’re a miracle I didn’t know I needed in this rather primitive kingdom.”

To a scientist like Senku, ‘miracles’ never existed. All things could be explained. For Senku to have chosen that specific word, equating Gen to the unexplainable, eased Gen’s panicked heart. Gen wanted to reply, but he hoped the fact that his body untensed for the first time since Senku first came meant that Senku could figure out his words helped.

“One truth and ten billion lies. I think you’re the only one who could balance between that. Even, or especially, now.” 

Coming from Senku, Gen found the statement too ironic. Gen toed a very special line of lies and the truth every time he had to be around Senku. Gen’s heart tipped every direction on a balancing rope that leveled over all the personal feelings he had for the man. “Thank you, Senku-chan,” Gen spoke the words to the ice, unable to look at Senku in that moment of sincerity. “I’m damn good at my job. Even if I’m not as cute as I was before, I’ll make sure you feel like you can’t believe a word I say from now on.” Gen finally stared at Senku, and tried not to let it show on his face the shock of seeing Senku already staring back. “I’m certain I can go back to only caring about myself and my tricks.”

Senku stayed quiet for a moment before laughing. A laugh that came from the chest that sounded full of pride and excitement. “You are truly awful, Mentalist. I can’t wait to see you at your worst.”

Gen felt his face match the same crooked smile he saw spread on Senku’s face. “As slimy and gross as a frog. I’m going to be so sleazy and _irresistible_ at the same time. I’m going to return to being the most horrible man in the world. And I’m going to make everyone feel safe with me around because of it.”

Senku leaned in so his head rested on Gen’s shoulder. “There’s a ten billion percent chance that’s already the case with everyone. Just do it so you get enough confidence to stop being an idiot of a mentalist who comes out to a cold, dark river every night.”

Gen could not see Senku’s face with all of Senku’s hair trying to poke him in the face, but when he looked down at the ice of the river he could make out Senku’s shape as relaxed and the hints of a smile, if Gen read the shadows in the ice correctly. “Then let’s head back, Senku-chan, and you can make me a mirror in the morning.”

“ _We_ can work on it in the afternoon when we finish the actual work I have for us to do.” Senku yawned, and he seemed hesitant to get off of Gen so they could both start the walk back to the village. “You think you still need a mirror, Mentalist?”

Gen peeked at his reflection in the ice once more. “Of course. It’s not fair you get to see how cute I am, but I can’t see me. I still need to know how I look.”

“Sure, sure, Mentalist. I’ll make whatever.” Senku finally rose to his feet, but he stayed still very close to Gen while Gen also stood up. The patch of snow they stood on was uneven enough for the two to be the same height with their eyes meeting in the darkness. Senku reached a cold hand to cup Gen’s face one last time, sending a shiver down Gen’s spine as he felt Senku’s thumb run along his scar. 

Before Gen could act without thinking again, he pulled away to walk down the same path he used to get to the river. All of his nerves felt the fire from Senku’s chilly touch, and he wanted so much more. But not yet. Gen would earn it, ensure Senku knew his loyalties beyond a doubt while being the worst person in the world. Maybe then he could find the audacity to act on the mood they had created that night.

%

Senku’s mind never stopped working, Gen noticed after over a year working together. After the terrifying ordeal of finding platinum and dealing with Ibara, Senku went right to work on bringing Tsukasa back to the team. Extra muscle like Tsukasa’s around the camp would certainly be useful for decreasing, but Gen found himself excited to bring Tsukasa back beyond that fact. 

Perhaps old Gen would have tried to weasel his way into Senku’s brain to convince him against the idea of bringing back such a formidable old foe, but Tsukasa was trustworthy in a way Gen could only aspire to be. Any awkwardness that may be between them, Gen could handle for the Kingdom of Science’s sake. A more honest Gen could admit that despite the betrayal between them, he saw Tsukasa as an ally whom he wanted approval from. Like an ultimate testament to prove that his wicked ways did necessarily mean Gen was wicked.

Letting Tsukasa become and emerge from stone was an experience. Something akin to true, serene beauty when he opened his eyes again and finally got to reunite with his little sister. His face, like Gen’s own, lost any scars so Tsukasa looked as gentle as how he spoke.

The only one who kept the same old scars was Senku. Across his captivating ruby eyes to his forehead. Senku admired Tsukasa’s return with a pride Gen could only imagine. Only when Suika tugged at his shirt did Senku shift focus. She pointed out what the Generals had been silently thinking for themselves. The tact and curiosity of a child, Gen supposed.

Gen almost missed the surprised look on Senku’s face when Suika pointed it out, but a part of Gen had already known it must be lonely. Senku had privately consoled Gen, and Gen already planned to return the favor, also in private, but making it into a show fit his sense of flare much more.

While the villagers had their attention to Senku, Gen brought out ink and called attention to himself. Gen had touched and studied his scar enough times to be able to trace the same lines in ink without looking. “Until Senku-chan gets to be free of his scars, we can just add ours manually. We deserve to have our own special ‘war paint’ for unity, after all.”

With everyone, particularly Taiju, so eager to jump in and paint their old scars back onto their skin, Gen missed whatever reaction Senku may have expressed. Frustrating, but at least the Gen knew Senku well enough to know the gesture would have some effect that he would consequently hide anyway. Gen would show his loyalty and bring the entire village together; that mattered more than checking if Senku got his underlying message.

With some high level pestering, Gen even managed to get Tsukasa to use the ink and make his own wordless pledge to Senku and the Kingdom of Science. The gesture held its weight in gold, but to have Tsukasa clarify in words that he actually appreciated having Gen around felt like the last green light Gen needed to confirm that he made the absolute correct choice in standing by Senku. That he was worthy of Senku if even his once greatest adversary saw value in him.

When night time finally came around and everyone finished their meals together, Gen debated for a long time whether he would return to Senku’s observatory, or to the river. For some possible alone time to de-stress away from everyone, Gen decided to head to the river. Gen told Ukyo he’d be back within the hour as a courtesy in case anyone needed him, but he knew Ukyo would take Gen at face value and not ask questions where or why.

Though, if Ukyo let Gen have his privacy and not try to follow, Senku had no such courtesy. Much as Gen adored the man, he detested Senku’s ability to break down Gen as much as Gen tried to break down Senku’s. Gen had a total of perhaps 300 steps of distance between then before he realized Senku trailed after him.

“Couldn’t stay away from me, hm, Senku-chan?” Gen asked when he finally reached the river. Gen sighed for dramatics, and sat near the river banks.

“Curiosity doesn’t let me, it seems,” Senku answered just as coolly as he took a spot beside Gen. “You know what I want to ask, Mentalist,” despite it coming out as a statement, Gen could hear Senku wanted clarification.

“Must you bother asking? It’s been done. I won’t wash it off until I see this Stone World situation to the end with you.”

Senku smiled, but even Gen’s perspective eyes struggled to catch it. The moonlight from their last meeting came from a full moon, but the current moon shone half-dim. “So I won’t bother with ‘why’, but do you think it’s worth it? Even if your hair’s still different, you got your old face back.”

Gen sighed as he lowered himself so his head rested on Senku’s shoulders. “Totally worth it. This is the face that got us out of being killed by Tsukasa and Hyoga and Mobu. I don’t think I could ever regret having this mark across my otherwise flawless skin.” Gen heard the sound of Senku breathing mix with the sounds of nature around them from the gentle insect rustling to the stream’s soft currents. “I met you with this pretty face, after all.”

Gen felt Senku wrap an arm around Gen’s side. The touch felt casual, like teenagers at a movie theater, until Gen felt their bodies shift when Senku moved to wrap his other arm around Gen. Senku’s hands shifted so one of them lifted Gen’s face off his shoulder and looking right at Senku, noses only a few millimeters apart. “I . . . agree that this face has a lot of value, too.”

“Did you miss it, Senku-chan?” Gen asked with his eyes half-lidded. Their breaths mingled, and Gen felt far too warm. Gen almost wished they could go back to winter instead of mid-spring.

“I tend to always miss your face.” Gen struggled to tell if Senku felt as flustered as Gen did in the dim light, but his tone stayed as exact as ever. “Missing you makes my work less productive. Makes more sense to always have you around.”

“I wouldn’t mind staying closer,” Gen whispered, but the words felt too loud when all he wanted was to use his lips to press them against Senku’s. Gen knew he had the chance to push them together; he already felt their noses brush against each other’s. They were moving so slowly, too slowly, closer to each other, but it was entirely a _they were_ and not just Gen on his own. Gen’s upper lip graced something soft as he kept leaning in, then a cold and damp weight plopped onto his lap.

When Gen glanced down and the giant frog, the creature could only _wish_ to jump as high. In his shock, Gen screamed over Senku’s pained groan. The frog hopped a foot away from them, close to where Senku hunched over in pain while holding his nose. It took a long moment, but Senku managed to collect himself before Gen with a fierce glare. “ _Not_ the closer I wanted, Mentalist,” Senku spat with his voice hoarse as he strained to speak. 

Gen bit his lip in guilt and offered Senku a hand to get off the ground. Thankfully, Senku took it and proved he was not totally disgusted with Gen. “Ah, I didn’t . . . sorry, Senku-chan. Would you like me to kiss it better?”

“I’d rather the frog kiss me. I haven’t dissected it, but I’m ten billion percent sure that if it slammed its face to my nose, it wouldn’t be nearly as awful.” Senku brushed off the dirt from his clothes and walked a few steps ahead of Gen before stopping. “Well, are you coming, Mentalist? Or would you rather kiss the frog?”

Gen broke out of his rejected stupor and pouted. “Mean! You know I’d rather kiss you, so you can’t tease my delicate heart like this, Senku-chan!”

Senku muttered something like “Your heart’s not as delicate as my nose,” but it only made Gen want to laugh. Senku’s pout looked cute as he pretended to be more upset about the pain than the interrupted moment. Gen knew he lost his chance for the night, but things still felt nice between them. They still have their trust and their feelings more out in the open, even if neither directly said anything. And that was enough for Gen, to be Senku’s partner versus to be his own fabricated person.

When Gen reached for Senku’s hand, Senku held it back along their walk.

After they climbed into their private section in the observatory, Senku grabbed his shoulders and held him in place before Gen could lie down. Before Gen could register the touch, Senku already walked to his own sleeping area, leaving nothing but the warmth of his lips against the paint on Gen’s cheek.

**Author's Note:**

> I’m pretty made because I wanted to include 2 things into this fic, mostly 1, but I never found a spot for it. I wanted soooo deeply to have Senku braid the white part of Gen’s hair and inform him how braids are seen as a “softer and trustworthy hairstyle choice because it evokes a fondness of childlike innocence,” but it just never came up. Maybe one day, I guess. I do already have the fanart of Ge rocking that side braid, at least.
> 
> For real leave a comment if you can, too. 
> 
> Love,  
> Grey


End file.
